Strategic Referral Management Executive

Job Description:
This job is responsible for leading the development and execution of strategic initiatives and/or processes aligned to the bank's priorities within a functional area and/or business. Key responsibilities include defining, developing, executing, monitoring, and/or refining strategic initiatives and/or processes including management of strategic reviews by senior leadership in close collaboration with key stakeholders and internal partners.

The Strategic Referral Management Executive is responsible for designing, executing, and managing Merrill’s referral and lead generation strategy, leveraging the enterprise’s broad client reach. This senior executive will maximize our enterprise-wide referral flows, deepen collaboration with partners across the bank, and ensure sustainable client growth in alignment with the bank’s strategic objectives.

The executive will manage referral programs ensuring appropriate incentives, develop key performance metrics, envision and implement an operating model to maximize referral wins to/from Merrill.

The role requires a proven leader in business development within financial services, with experience leveraging large-scale networks, strategic partnerships, and cross-business synergies to deliver measurable increases in net new households and new money (NNM).

Responsibilities:

• Oversees the process for building and/or executing business initiatives and/or processes, while partnering with stakeholders and partners
• Solves complex problems and delivers on business initiatives and processes by applying subject matter expertise and technical knowledge of the business
• Engages with key stakeholders, partners, and business leadership to deliver on business objectives, while providing updates on strategic business initiatives
• Approves and oversees the development of strategic and tactical plans to drive progress towards business goals and objectives

Strategic Leadership & Growth

• Develop and oversee the referral and lead generation strategy in alignment with Merrill wealth management and Bank of America’s priorities.
• Strengthen partnership with groups across the bank including Consumer, Workplace Benefits, Business Banking, Commercial Banking, Global Markets and the Corporate and Investment Bank, to identify and convert cross-business client opportunities.
• Serve as executive sponsor for key acquisition initiatives, ensuring strong governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
• Manage and oversee referral programs meant to drive responsible growth and capitalize on the bank’s wide ranging client relationships.

Referral Network Development

• Lead enterprise referral programs that connect wealth management with internal business units.
• Create structured programs to reward and recognize internal teams for successful referral activity.

Business Impact & Revenue Generation

• Drive consistent growth in qualified leads, pipeline conversion, and AUM inflows.
• Partner with regional market leaders and wealth advisors to ensure seamless onboarding of referred clients.
• Monitor and report on referral KPIs, including referral volumes, conversion rates, and NNM impact at executive committee level.

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Lead a team of referral specialists, partnership managers, and business development professionals.
• Provide strategic guidance and tools to relationship managers to enhance referral effectiveness.
• Foster a high-performance culture emphasizing accountability, collaboration, and client impact.

Analytics, Reporting & Governance

• Oversee enterprise Client Relationship Management (CRM) and pipeline reporting for referrals, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
• Track ROI of referral channels and optimize resource allocation accordingly.
• Ensure adherence

Managerial Responsibilities:
This position may also have responsibilities for managing associates. At Bank of America, all managers at this level demonstrate the following responsibilities, in addition to those specific to the role, listed above.

• Opportunity & Inclusion Champion: Breaks down barriers to create a more inclusive environment that supports company Great Place to Work goals.
• Manager of Process & Data: Challenges end-to-end process efficiency and effectiveness, champion data driven decision-making and removes obstacles to optimize operations.
• Enterprise Advocate & Communicator: Contributes to enterprise strategy and influence messaging to connect team contributions to business purpose, results, and success.
• Risk Manager: Inspects and challenges risk controls, governance and culture to ensure the timely identification, escalation, debate and remediation of risk across the organization.
• People Manager & Coach: Coaches to sustain and elevates organizational performance while differentiating to ensure pay for performance.
• Financial Steward: Efficiently allocates and manages resources across the organization to drive short and long term profitability.
• Enterprise Talent Leader: Inspects and manages the health of the bench to ensure succession for the organization, while supporting enterprise talent needs.
• Driver of Business Outcomes: Mobilizes organizational resources to deliver the full range of the bank’s capabilities to meet client needs and to gain competitive advantage.

Required Qualifications:

• 15+ years of leadership experience in wealth management, private banking, or financial services.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale referral or client acquisition programs at a global financial institution.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders across multiple business lines.
• Proven track record of building referral networks with measurable revenue outcomes.
• Deep understanding of UHNW/HNW client segments, private banking products, and global regulatory frameworks.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• Enterprise Leadership: Ability to drive initiatives across multiple divisions and geographies.
• Growth Mindset: Focused on building scalable client acquisition engines.
• Relationship Management: Strong Center of Influence (COI) and professional network connectivity.
• Data-Driven Execution: Uses analytics to optimize decision-making and strategy.
• Change Leadership: Skilled at driving adoption of new programs in a large, matrixed organization.

Skills:

• Business Acumen
• Coaching
• Critical Thinking
• Result Orientation
• Strategic Thinking
• Analytical Thinking
• Collaboration
• Customer and Client Focus
• Influence
• Stakeholder Management
• Adaptability
• Innovative Thinking
• Oral Communications
• Planning
• Prioritization